All Along
by Ash Gray
Summary: It was at that moment that I realized, all along, I already had what I wanted. :AU, 3x4:


**Disclaimer:** All concepts and characters of _Codename: Kids Next Door_ solely belong to Mr. Warburton and Cartoon Network.

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**All Along**

I raised my eyes to hers defiantly, showing her that I wasn't about to give in. I couldn't see why the crud she was making such a fuss about it anyway.

So I forgot to SMS her when I left the shop, big deal! It was a trivial matter, right?

Apparently to her, it was not. She went on about all the plots that the government had uncovered about a terrorist attack being released in Cleveland. I just sighed and nodded my head in agreement, trying to get off the subject. However, that only served to annoy her even more, leading her to nag on about how I was never there when she needed me. About how she was left with the kids while I spent practically half my life at the office.

"What about me, Wally?" she demanded harshly. "Am I not a person to you? I need some time to myself sometimes!"

"Then have it!!" I yelled back with disinterest; recently our marriage and relationship had been on the rocks. It seemed we couldn't even watch a program together on television anymore, not without ending up ripping each other's throats out. We stood apart in the crowded high street, glaring daggers at each other.

She knew what was wrong. I had married her too early, settled down too early. I wasn't ready to have children and when they came, I couldn't cope with the responsibilities. But I couldn't deal with everybody nagging us, so we put on smiles and carried on like a normal married couple, having four children or two sets of twins.

I won't deny that I often worked overtime just to get some 'me-time'; some peace and quiet. You can call me a jerk, a coward or a cold, heartless bastard, but it's all true.

"I'm going to pick the kids up from MacDonald's," she said with an agitated sigh before she shoved past me, walking in the direction behind me. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth in annoyance before I walked forward, deciding that we could discuss our marriage problems later.

Suddenly the ground shook as a massive explosion ripped through the air; within a second screams of terror were engulfed by flames and thick black smoke. I turned watching the scene unfold in horror, realizing that it was the direction that Kuki had walked in.

The arguments and fights of late swiftly vanished from my mind and instead, I saw our first date, our first kiss at the 6th grade dance, our marriage, me holding her hand as she gave birth to our first child. It was at that moment that I realized that it was everything I ever wanted, all along. I realized how blind I was.

I rushed towards the carnage, the sick feeling in my stomach only increasing as I looked at the blood that had soaked onto the pavement. I couldn't help the tears that burst forth from my eyes as I clutched at my hair in frustration, thinking that it could be her blood among everyone else's.

Without even thinking I began throwing parts of the destroyed shop everywhere, calling out her name desperately. I heard the sirens approaching and someone grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back away from the rubble.

"No! I have to – my wife!" I cried out helplessly, struggling in the man's fierce grip, but he just held me tighter, saying that he understood and that the emergency services would be here in a moment. No, he didn't understand! How could he possibly understand that my heart had shattered into pieces at the thought of a dead Kuki.

"KUKI!!!" I screamed helplessly, collapsing to my knees and bringing the man halfway down with me. I shook with grief, unable to stop the torrent of tears that were pouring down my cheeks and splashing onto the ground. I turned my face away, wiping a hand harshly over my eyes as I looked through the gathering crowds; many were staring at me, others at the wreckage, and some were trying to do what I did and save their loved ones.

"Dad…?"

I looked back at the sound of the voice and saw a blond boy push through the crowd and run towards me, his identical twin brother not far behind.

"Travis! Takeru!" I cried as I leapt to my feet and grabbed them, pulling them towards me. They were both taken by surprise as I continued to hold them close to my body, too frightened to let go.

Travis pushed back and stared into my eyes with concern and confusion. "Dad, what happened? Are you hurt?" he asked.

I quickly shook my head, watching as my two daughters squeezed past. Alison looked just like me, blonde hair and green eyes while Rika had black hair and brown eyes. I let go of the boys and grabbed my girls, easily lifting them off the ground.

"I'm so sorry, kids," I whimpered, putting my daughters down and indicating for them all to come closer. I knelt to their level, making brief contact with each of them. "I've been a lousy father, haven't I?" I said. They didn't say anything; instead they glanced at each other, confirming the answer to my question.

"But that's all going to change from now on," I swore, burning into their eyes so that they understood that I was going to make up for all the times I'd been away when they needed me, all the times I wasn't there to be their role model.

"…What brought _this_ on?" asked Alison, the fear evident in her voice. I took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to break the news to them.

"Wally?"

I froze at the sound of the voice, not daring to look back in case I was imagining it. The children looked behind me, giving worried looks to whoever it was.

"Mom, Dad's acting weird," muttered Rika, dusting off her denim skirt and fixing her white shoes that matched her top. I turned around and there she was, pulling her handbag onto her shoulder. She gave me a wary glance, as though worried that I was going to snap in front of the kids because I was looking at her so intently.

I burst into tears all over again, and without a second thought grabbed her waist and pulled her to me, sobbing profusely into her shoulder, gripping her in a way that proved I never wanted to let her go. I was a total idiot for thinking that I never wanted this!

"I thought – the explosion!" I blurted out, sobbing uncontrollably as I turned my gaze back to the destroyed shop. Already ambulances and fire trucks were beginning to park in the middle of the road, attempting to put out the fires and rescue the injured. Kuki turned her head, realizing what I had thought.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I'm sorry I was never there for you; I'm sorry I'm such a stubborn jerk! I love you! I love you, Kuki, and despite how I've acted in the past, I don't want to lose you!"

I felt her slowly embrace me back, nuzzling her cheek into my shoulder as our kids simply watched in amazement.

"I won't leave you, Wally," she whispered softly into my ear. "Just… don't leave us either, okay?" she asked, pulling back to look into my eyes.

"_Never_," I replied firmly, pulling her close to me again.

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